Coming from the dark
by Katylin Lou
Summary: She knows that she is different. She also knows she cannot tell anyone. But how is she supposed to gain trust amongst the Cullens if she shields herself so much? Jasper & Emmett especially seem to be more than alert ... reviews pls!
1. Chapter 1

I tried hard not to look back when I said goodbye to my sister. Tears were stuck in my throat; it felt as if I was dying a slow death. When I couldn't stand the feeling anymore I turned around, hoping to get a last view of her. I did not. She had hurried and already gone around the corner, I couldn't see her anymore. So that was it then… This was the end of our close relationship, of our sisters beyond everything philosophy.

The information about the Cullens were vague, I had only eavesdropped a conversation in which two vampires were mocking them. "Not eating humans", one had simply stated with an unbelieving look on his face. "Crazy!"

I needed to go on with my life, I could not always settle somewhere with my sister, making sure nobody would discover my existence. I related well with humans, I had no problem being around them but the fact that I was not growing and not getting older made it quite difficult to stay on some place for more than two years. My sister Tara had always been always pretending that she could cope with that but I did not believe her. I often found her crying when we had to leave a place- again. At the moment she looked 2 years older than me – although I was actually the one being older. I had been six when my parents died; she was few months old and my second sister two years. We came in an orphanage, my sisters both had no problems being there but I had. I remembered my parents; I remembered the fire and everything that had happened that night too well. When Pete came in the orphanage I started getting suspicious right from the very first day. I was already thirteen at that time but still could not understand the girls being so flattered around him and going out with him. Two years passed and I failed to realise the connection between the many missing kids and his quick changing girlfriends. Instead I fell for him. On my sixteenth birthday my dream seemed to get reality, he asked me out. We went to the cinema and around the city and I was sure that this was the most beautiful day of my life. We promise each other to meet again the next week because he was going to Mexico after that week. We set the date and only afterwards I remembered that it was Jenny's, my little sister's, birthday party. She was already twelve but I wanted to help her with her outfit and everything. Well I decided that my boyfriend was more important than my sister and so we took off without me saying bye to her.

We went through the forest and I felt that there was something that bothered him. Suddenly he started falling into a strange silence, he was listening. Soon after that moment my little sister ran towards us, crying. Her nose was bleeding badly and she stammered something about being hit by a boy. I wanted to run to her but Pete grabbed my arm and held me back. His strength was not human anymore; he even broke my arm with this grip. He soon lifted me up and threw me a few metres away.


	2. Chapter 2

Stop. I was coughing badly. I needed to think of something else. I could not concentrate on the Cullens enough if I was stuck in those horrible images. After running a few inches I saw their house; it looked friendly and open. Yet I decided to sneak into it, to get a better view of them. They would not expect anyone coming and my ability to close my mind would help against being detected by somebody with other abilities. Hiding my thoughts always exhausted me but I could do it for a period of a week continually. I just needed to take care.

I entered the house without a noise. When I passed the family pictures, which were everywhere I had to think about the day my other sister had found me. On the grave of Anastacia, next to the stone in which her birth and death date was written I lay. She had expected me to be there, after the one horrible day I had been going there at least three times every week. This time was yet very different. Pete had come back to take revenge for my survival. I had seen how he had killed – one could say eaten – Anastacia.

I flew back on the wall, breathing hardly although I did not need to bother breathing. Whom was I kidding? I was no human and in this house everybody would see that, there was no need to fake being human.

But I was human. Human enough to cry, human enough not to do to anybody what Pete had done to my sister. Human enough to awake next to Viola and to keep straight-minded and try to find food, food different than the normal food vampires would eat. I don't know if it was my grandmother's blood revolting to the venom or the horrible thing I had seen… Maybe it was fact that I had observed a vampire hunting – hunting my own sister, but I did not need blood to survive.

Again I gasped; I felt that the mental barrier had lifted for a second. I had to stop being that unaware! I could not let myself get carried away that easy! Somebody could have noticed me the moment the barrier had lifted! Still trembling I went forward, although I could not see anybody. A picture caught my attention. I took it from its place, touched its frame. The couple looked at me, smiling. The boy looked like Pete. No. Now I remembered someone, someone I had already seen before.

Remembering I dropped the picture. The noise made me alert and I tried to run away, but irrationally fast the boy from the picture and some other guy were capturing me. I felt scared and relieved at once. I could tell them everything, I thought. But then I withdrew that thought and just forced myself to focus again.


	3. Chapter 3

"Who are you?" I heard them ask, at least three times. I didn't answer for a while, then I decided that I would give them a story they would buy.

"I am Maryann" I started, quickly thinking about the rest of my story. The blond boy was still holding my wrist. It hurt me to be so unwelcome and it made things more difficult for me because I had to focus stronger to black his powers out. Touching is always very encouraging to power.

"Jasper", the boy with bronze hair said gently, "Release her". I glanced at him thankfully and he smiled, holing his hand out to me "I am Edward". Relieved I took his hand and he shook it. Somehow he seemed to know what I was thinking; he did exactly the things I wanted him to do: He welcomed me and made me feel safe. But he couldn't be able to read my thoughts, he simply couldn't. I blocked every power out, I knew that.

"So tell us, where do you come from?" asked a woman, who later introduced herself as Esme. She was nice but I didn't trust her. I trusted nobody.

"From Seattle, I lived there for a while and decided to change group…" Should I tell them about the rumours that they were 'vegetarians'? I shouldn't have worried so much because they all introduced themselves and Carlisle started talking about it himself. I nodded when he told me, that they didn't attack humans. But eating from animals didn't seem to be right for me either…

After having seen how eating something alive looked like I doubted that I could ever taste blood again. Pete had stormed towards Jenny and glanced at me for a brief second before he bit her. Blood had been everywhere but I couldn't move to help her. I had wanted to, I swear, but I couldn't. Suddenly there was this girl, Anastacia, from Jenny's class, and she was moving towards the two of them. I screamed at her, yelled to stay back and I think this got Pete's attention. He looked up, his eyes wild and he jumped and got her.

It was too late for Jenny. I still couldn't move, but when Pete was done with Anastacia he returned to Jenny, as if keeping the best for the end. Knowing that with Jenny the same was about to happen I pulled away from that strange feeling that captured me and ran. I didn't want to see that.

"Are you okay?" Carlisle asked and I nodded slowly.


	4. Chapter 4

They accepted me as a member of the family, but I still didn't trust them. How could I, I was a rare breed, knowing my existence would not only endanger them, but also give them the possibility of turning me in.

Closing my mind all the time was exhausting – and suspicious. I noticed the looks they gave me and I felt that they didn't trust me either.

The biggest difficulty was when they went hunting. I needed to sneak away from them to get some things I could eat. For the first days it went okay, but then they started to question my vegetarianism.

One day Carlisle talked to me very earnest, saying, that Emmett and especially Jasper didn't believe that I was a vegetarian. I had to promise him to go hunting with the boys for at least once. I wanted to tell him, that I'd rather go hunting with Alice or Rosalie or any other family-member, but I had run out of explanations. How was I supposed to tell him that it freaked me out to see those guys because they reminded me of Pete? It was the age of their appereance, which was similar, that freaked me out, I knew that. I knew that I'd even never be able to love someone again because of him.

But could he really have destroyed my ability to make male friends? I wanted to prove myself.

We went hunting the next day and I couldn't help but notice the weird glances, Jasper and Emmett gave me. Thank God Edward came with us; I really had started liking him because he seemed to be the only one trusting me.

I knew, I didn't deserve trust, but anyhow, it felt good to be trusted.

Sneaking off wasn't possible as we were only four people. Emmett was the first one to catch a something. I can't even remember what animal it was, which he ripped apart with his strength. I just know that I fainted.

I saw Emmett's huge teeth, I saw the animal's look and I heard its horrible last scream – a scream every hunted and dying creature gives. The same scream of Anastacia and Jenny. The last thing I saw was the red glistening in the eyes of the three boys, and then I blacked out.

Vampires don't faint. They simply don't. But I do. And this could have destroyed my whole cover, but I seemed to be lucky that day, I gained consciousness just before they approached me. When they stood next to me, confused, bewildered, I looked up and managed a grin. "Sorry, I tripped" I coaxed.

They didn't believe me, but what else could they have done, than pretending to do. "Your turn" Jasper announced, his mouth full of blood, his eyes still red. I nearly threw up on him, but then I reminded myself to focus. I would _just_ have to capture the animal, pretend to drink some of its blood and then release it without anyone noticing. It was impossible to trick them.

However, I decided to give it a try and flung myself at the next rabbit. My only problem was that I missed it by a few inches. I stood up again, trying to look confident and gave it another try. I had never hunted anything before in my life, how was I supposed to catch a rabbit?

I stopped my horribly embarrassing aims and shrugged. "No luck this time" I said casually and tried to go away. But after a few steps Jasper stood in front of me, cross-armed, annoyed. "What's your problem?" he hissed at me and gave me a little push. It was never intended to hurt me, but I was no vampire, so I flew backwards, right into Emmett's arms.

He looked at me confused and with a small grin he said: "Hey love, I think we need to teach you fighting" He was nice and gentle, but I felt his muscles and I still remembered his teeth, so I struggled to get out of his hold.

He let me go instantly, although he was giving me a funny look, shrugging. "How do you eat?" he asked me bewildered. I shrugged too, mumbling something about "only dead animals", but that was crap. I had never eaten anything that used to be alive. I ate fruits and vegetables, just like humans.

When we got home Carlisle also said, that it was a great idea to teach me fighting. Jasper and Emmett were glowing, they seemed seriously happy to be able to show off with their skills. And how could they have known, that it scared me? They expected me to be just as much vampire as they were.


	5. Chapter 5

"Okay, let's start", said Emmett, rubbing his fists. He and Jasper glared at me, waiting for me to attack one of them. But I couldn't. I had never attacked anyone before. Slowly I punched Emmett on his arm. "Gotcha" I said sarcastically. Within a second I flew through the thick air, landed in Jasper's arms, and was put in a deadly hold and both of them chuckled. "Ouch" I squeaked in a small voice and Jasper let go of me. It hurt! For god's sake, I was no full vampire! That grip had really made my arm feel broken and I wasn't pretty fond of eating mud as well. "Good. That's it then, thanks for helping me, see you" I said quickly, stood up and wanted to walk away.

I hadn't expected Jasper to catch me on my way and push me back. He pushed me back to Emmet and the two of them practically threw me around as if I were a doll. Then, when they felt as if it was enough I crashed on the floor. "We're done with you when we tell you we're done", they said. They didn't mean to harm me, they thought that I was strong enough not to feel such kind of pain, but I felt tears stinging in my eyes and I was so exhausted, I couldn't stand anymore. Helplessly I sat down.

"Are you actually trying to learn something?" Jasper asked, obviously annoyed about my behaviour. It was Edward who came for my rescue.

"Let her go and go back inside please", he said smoothly and the two other boys obeyed. Then he sat down, next to me. "Are you okay?", he asked and I nodded. "Don't lie to me", Edward then murmured and I looked at him, confused. "How do you?" He looked down. "I can read thoughts… I'm sorry" I didn't understand. I was blocking my mind, shielding myself, so how could he read my mind as well?!

"I can't read your mind all the time you know, but sometimes when you are weak I can. I think it's because mind-reading is a very strong power and easy to notice" "Can you read my thoughts now?" I asked hesitantly. He shook his head "No, but I could, when they pushed you around" I nodded, it relieved me, that he couldn't always read my mind. That was good to know. "You have to tell them that you can get hurt" Edward insisted but I quickly stood up "No. Please don't tell anyone. Please!" With that I went back inside, passing the two grinning boys. What if I really learned fighting? I wanted revenge.

At night I knocked on Edward's door. He answered immediately, a book still in his hands. Right, vampires didn't sleep. It was only me who curled down on the floor to get some rest. "Can you teach me fighting?" Edward glanced at me. "Not if you shield yourself. Maryann, I know that you don't mean no harm, but I am not sure. I won't teach somebody how to fight without knowing what this somebody is" He had his intonation on "what" and it startled me, that he knew that I was no vampire, but not notice who or rather what I really was. My mobile buzzed in my pocket and I took it out, reading it still in Edward's room. "Mayday. Got holidays and am bored. You are in Forks now, right? Otherwise I'm boarding on the wrong plane! Write back quickly! Love, Lora" I nearly cried with joy, quickly I pushed the reply button. "Thanks Edward", I murmured, already on my way out. I saw utter confusion in his eyes, but I ignored him. I can help myself now, I thought happily.

"Yes, Forks is correct! When will u arrive? Vamp boys 'bout to eat me – need your help. Love u" Instantly I had Lora's reply "In Forks in about five hours. Meet u dawn cemetery?" I only typed "yes", I wasn't able to tell Lora all my feelings, my relief that she broke our promise to never talk again, my joy, I was simply unable to write that all in one text.


	6. Chapter 6

It was a little bit difficult to sneak away at five in the morning because the vampires were all awake and therefore fully alert. Yet I managed somehow. When I saw Lora at the graveyard I flew around her neck, only to kiss her and cuddle her. Another advantage of not being that strong is being able to hug humans without hurting them.

"How are you? What do you mean, vamp boys trying to eat you?" she asked straight away, but I interrupted and insisted on her telling me all about college and her life before. When she finished it was already fully morning, sun shining bright. The Cullen's would have avoided such sunlight, but I loved it. See, another advantage of being a crossover breed.

I don't know, maybe it was my grandma's blood or Pete simply didn't get much of his venom inside me, I hadn't fully run through the transition. I wanted blood like others crave for chocolate or maybe like an alcoholic craves for alcohol. However, it was suppressible, especially knowing that giving in to the craving would mean killing the only person left in my life.

"I need to learn how to fight" I told Lora. "As soon as possible" Lora nodded. I had already told her about Emmett and Jasper and she had looked at me full of concern. She still didn't seem to appreciate my plan but she never questioned my wishes. She trusted me enough to know that I wouldn't put her or myself in unnecessary danger. And as I cannot die she didn't fear that much about me. I know that for sure because I have no heartbeat and I ran into a car on my second day as a crossover vamp. I had flown metres away and the driver of the car was really shocked, but I had gotten up that quickly he believed he had missed me and his eyes had tricked him. It just hurt like hell and I had needed some days to recover.

"How can I help you?" Lora asked. I shrugged. I had to admit that I had no idea. "Google it?" I suggested grinning. Lora smiled too. "I can throw stones at you and you either catch them or try to move aside fast enough" It was a good idea.

Yet we could only make a few runs, it was already past lunchtime, Lara was starving and I had to get back to the Cullen's. We arranged to meet every dawn, every time at five a.m. I didn't agree easily, Lara needed to sleep, but she assured me that her jetlag made her wake up at 4 anyway. I believed her because she swore me to take good care of herself and she would never betray me.

For a while it went without anyone noticing anything or getting suspicious. I got better and better at moving away from the stones and Lara also reversed with me by trying to hit me and I had to make sure she wouldn't catch me.

But then one day Carlisle asked me to come back to his office so we could talk privately. Still it wouldn't be a private talk, vampires hear so much better than humans, they would hear everything. As I had heard some talks between Emmett and Jasper who had brought this on me by talking to Carlisle about my vanishing acts and that they were questioning my vegetarism. "We noticed you are leaving every morning, alone" he started. I nodded. "Where are you going?" I swallowed "Meeting someone" I said slowly. Carlisle believed me, I could see that. But did the others? "Please talk to me of you have difficulties keeping the diet or ... finding your place in this family" I smiled at him, I was honestly thankful for his concern.

Still I overheard Emmett and Jasper questioning Carlisle and swearing to find out who I am. I hated them for wanting to know that, although I was getting stronger again because Lora provided me with good fruits, it was hard being careful _all_ the time. The time with Lora was great, only then I could be not cautious, didn't have to shield myself.

Emmett came to me one day, suggesting taking a chance at fighting again. I had already practised a lot with Lora, so I agreed. "What about a little bet?" he said, smirking. I knew he was up to something. "Like what?" I asked. "Like if you win I won't ever bug you again" I nodded. "And if you win?" "You will have to learn fighting with Jasper and me and you'll treat me like a king for a day" I hissed at him. That was a mean bet, but at last I agreed. When he jumped at me I managed to get away, but he attacked again, so quickly, that I had no chance. Emmett had me pierced, lying flat in the grass, cursing. "That was quick" he said disappointed. "What if I don't do what you said?" I tested, but I shouldn't have done that. Emmett pushed me a little harder into the grass, his hand on my throat. I panicked instantly, he didn't even need to say something. "You're my king" I repeated, when he let go of me he threw me a strange glance and I noticed that he was amused. But I wasn't. To me all of this was deadly earnest.

"Bring me a glass of water" Emmett said to me later that day. I quickly hurried into the kitchen. "You don't even drink water" I whispered angrily to myself. Then I went back, gave him the glass and said "here you go". "You know, I'd rather have another one", Emmett grinned, handing me the glass back. Edward interrupted us "Woah, what's going on?" Emmett told him about the bet and Jasper, who had been reading a book somewhere else cheered "way to go, bro!" "You can't do that" Edward insisted. A fight broke loose, bringing Alice in too, because she overheard us. Jasper hissed angrily at Edward, seeming more into that bet than Emmett had ever been. His eyes were glowing red and his muscles clenched. "Jasper, I think Edward is right" Alice chirped in and he let go for a second, but then he gave her a disappointed look. "Not you too" he hissed and went out. I felt terrible; it had been me who brought that on.

Alice and Jasper didn't talk again that evening; the whole family was at war. Every now and then I felt Jasper looking at me, furious, outraged.


	7. Chapter 7

There was an advantage of this: getting away in the morning was easier when everybody was at war. Lora instantly noticed that something was wrong with me. "What's the matter?" she asked concerned. I tried to tell her, but halfway through the story I just started to cry. Lora held me softly and hushed me. Finally I managed to tell her everything. "Come on, they deserve to all quarrel, they are idiots, they should trust you more!" I shrugged. "And that bet, seriously, how could you stoop so low to obey Emmett!? You don't do that, you are my sister!" I started crying again.

When I returned to the Cullens I seriously thought about packing my stuff and leaving. I was better off alone than with them, even if Edward and Carlisle were nice to me. Alice crossed my plans by walking up to me. "Hey, come down with us for a sec" I followed her, confused. Surprised I found the whole family in the living room, Emmett looking slightly uncomfortable. But only for a second, then he walked up to me and knelt down, grinning widely. "I sincerely apologize for that unfair bet" I smiled a little, but then I met Jasper's eyes, red, furiously gleaming. "It's okay Emmett" I said and managed to keep smiling. "It's not your fault I can't fight" Laughing Emmett stood up and squeezed my shoulder "We're going to teach you that, someday even you are going to learn how to fight" I chuckled.

The next morning I couldn't wait to meet Lora. Because I was so relieved that Emmett wasn't as mad at me as Jasper I didn't notice I was being followed.

Lora had learnt a lot from me, so after my first few sentences and some new boy stories from her – new holiday romances in Forks, we had some laugh about that – she suddenly abruptly stopped talking. "Get up" she hissed at me "Somebody's here!" We stood there, fully alert on the cemetery.


	8. Chapter 8

"Get out, are you such cowards you can't talk to us in person?" I yelled. I heard that somebody left. I didn't need to go after them, only a vampire could leave that fast and only one vampire would follow me. Jasper. That bastard.

When I returned I decided to confront him. Carlisle and Jasper were in the same room, a fact that calmed me, I didn't have to fear much then. "Why did you follow me?" I hissed at Jasper. Carlisle instantly joined us. "You followed her?" "She is meeting some human. Probably a blood donor or something like that", Jasper told Carlisle.

Angrily I shook my head and yelled: "That was my freakin' sister for god's sake!"

Jasper growled at me "So what else is your problem? Why do you shield yourself? What are you keeping secret?" I stared at Jasper angrily "Well my sister for instance. I kept her secret so you wouldn't eat her up!" Within seconds Jasper took a shot at me and pinned me to the wall. I expected him to get angry, but I didn't expect his hands on my throat in a nearly deadly grip and for a split second I lost my shield. It wasn't long, but long enough to make Jasper instantly drop his hands and stumble backwards. I let myself sink down to the floor and waited what he would do. Carlisle kept eying us, but didn't interfere at all. "Why are you panicking?" Jasper asked calmly, he seemed confused. "Why are you so afraid?" I shrugged. "I wasn't going to kill you, you know", somehow his voice was gentle. He sat down next to me, but carefully leaving a little bit of space between us. "What happened to you?" he continued his questioning. Each question got closer to the evening my sister died and to how I was turned. "Who changed you?" he asked then, seeming to understand the connection "What happened when you were changed?" I couldn't hold back any longer, his softness, the kindness in his eyes and the pity, it was too much. "Leave me alone!" I hissed and jumped up. Jasper grabbed my arm and pulled me down again. Carlisle stood up, whispered something to Jasper and left the room. I struggled at Jasper's grip but didn't succeed, I was forced to sink down to the floor, next to him again. Yet I noticed that he was holding me more carefully now, his grip wasn't hurting, it was just tight. "Carlisle just told me that Edward gave you away. We know the basics now" I shook my head "I shielded Edward too!" Jasper smiled at me "No, but he let you believe it, so you could decide how much you'd tell us. But he didn't want to intrude your privacy by telling us, so he held back on your information as long as he could". Only now I realised I had stopped shielding myself entirely. So that was why I was calming down, Jasper influenced me.

I surrendered entirely, and let myself be held by Jasper, crying silently in his shirt as he stroke my back and hugged me. "It's going to be okay, I promise", he said.

Later that day Lora and I joined the family. I had always been astonished by Lora's courage and ability to remain calm no matter what, so I wasn't surprised to see her perfectly comfortable, shaking hands and introducing herself to a bunch of vampires. When it came to Emmett introducing himself she shook his hand, but then she pulled back and slapped him right across the face "Ouch!", she instantly exclaimed. "Next time I'll use a baseball bat" Emmett looked at her confused. "What was that about?" Lora didn't even flinch while looking at his face. I suppose she didn't think about his powers, she just thought of him as a boy who hurt my feelings. "If you _ever_ make my sister call you king again I will rip you apart with my bare hands, make you suffer and then kill you slowly. Do you understand that?" Emmett grinned slightly. "Isn't that a bit bold to tell a vampire?" Slowly he pulled her close and stroke over her neck. I felt panic rising, but Jasper was next to me and put his hand on my shoulder "Relax, he's not going to hurt her", he whispered.

I shouldn't have worried anyway, with a quick motion Lora stepped aside, threw Emmett a glance and said "Fuck off". Emmett looked puzzled; he wasn't used to have people around who weren't at all intimidated by him. And if there were, he usually fought with them, like Jasper or Edward. He couldn't fight with Lora, he knew that. But she wasn't done with him. "I see you can't handle a situation without using your physical strength. That's quite sad, isn't it?" By now Emmett had regained his confidence. "And I notice that you have to act like that to make up to your lack of strength. How about we agree I'm a sucker – no pun intended ha!-", sniggering Emmett stopped a second, but then continued "and you are a weenie" Lora slapped him again, this time with less force, so she couldn't hurt herself again. "I'm not a weenie". Emmett caught her hands and held them. "You are surprisingly obnoxious and annoying; but I like you and don't want to kill you. Peace?" Lora also smiled now. "Okay jackass. Peace. But I'll always outsmart you" Emmett shook his head "Do you want to bet on it?" Carlisle sighted and with a look at Esme he said "This family is going to drive me insane sometime". I noticed the way he said family and smiled. I never thought I would have a family again. But on the other hand it wasn't a family, it was a bunch of vampires and Lora was in the middle of them. It wasn't safe for her! Edward threw a glance at me and shook his head "don't worry" he said silently "we don't let a family member get hurt"

_[Author's note:_

_So that's the end for now; let me know how you liked the story!_

_did you expect the Cullen's to accept Lisbeth?_

_What else would you have liked to see? _

_More fighting scenes, going deeper into Lisbeth's past or starting a love story? Maybe the vampire who turned her will come back one day? _

_It would be great if you could let me know what you're thinking!_

_However, thanks for reading! Katylin]_


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